My Style, No Sense
by Idle Stripe
Summary: A collection of drabbles to help me get ideas out of my head. 'Kingdom Hearts' and its assosciates belong to Disney and SquareEnix, any OCs belong to me and whoever else wants to be involved. Rating may vary. Implied pairings.
1. Axel and Tora's Exercise Day

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

**_-A drabble collection centred on 'Kingdom Hearts'-_**

_**Part One – Axel And Tora's Exercise Day**_

Nobody knew whether or not to leave them or risk it and wake them.

"So...what's the worst that could happen if we try to wake them?" Marluxia turned to the person beside him – turned out to be Xigbar – and raised a pink eyebrow.

"Instantaneous death," the Freeshooter replied, "You remember what happened last time someone woke Tora?" The Graceful Assassin made a face as that particular memory resurfaced in his mind. In front of them, on one of the couches in the Grey Room, lay Tora and Axel, fast asleep and one on top of the other. Axel's arm was draped lazily over Tora's back, his other dangling over the side of the couch. Tora's hair splayed out underneath his arm down her back, the fingers of her left hand barely brushing the redhead's. Her Organisation cloak lay dormant over one of the small tables in the room, long discarded in favour of air rushing over bare skin cooling off heat.

"You know..." Marluxia rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "I've never seen Tora so...peaceful before."

"She's poison personified; she can't stay still for long." Xigbar responded, stretching his arms above his head.

"Has anyone seen-" A hand clamped over the Melodious Nocturne's mouth as the Flurry of Dancing Flames stirred slightly in response to the noise.

"Do you want those two waking up and hunting us down?" the pink-haired man hissed. Demyx looked over Number Two's shoulder at the sleeping pair and made an 'oh' noise.

"They must be exhausted after coming back from the Pride Lands." Demyx whispered. Both Xigbar and Marluxia looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you know? The Superior sent Tora and Axel to the Pride Lands because Tora kept complaining about needing exercise." Number Nine waved off their confusion and headed over to the couch, a gentle look in his ocean-green eyes. Grabbing Tora's cloak, he threw it over the two of them to cover them up, regardless of the temperature in the Grey Room. Tora nuzzled further into Axel, while Axel's hand unconsciously twined with hers, gripping tightly.

"Yeah, we're not going to get anything out of them for a while." Demyx said.

"How the hell do you do that?" Xigbar asked incredulously. The blond shrugged.

"Tora taught me." was the vague response as he left the room. Number Eleven shook his head to try and rid himself of his confusion and left also, his garden almost calling to him. The Freeshooter shot one last look at the sleepers on the couch, then left also. He needed something to shoot and _now_; he wondered if he could sneak up on Xaldin first...

* * *

Jade green eyes blinked open an hour later, a hand rubbing at the tattoo underneath the left eye. Axel lifted his head a little way from the couch arm and looked down, orange and black obscuring his vision. Giving a little smile, the Flurry allowed himself to bury his nose into the tiger-striped strands and exhale, their previous outing having taken a larger toll on him than he originally thought. He was, however, glad to have only two legs instead of four.

"Ngh...son of a..." The Toxic Mage lifted her head groggily and blinked sunlight gold eyes, "How long were we asleep?"

"Long enough?" the redhead offered. Tora pushed off his chest and knelt on the couch in between his legs, staring at him blankly.

"Sometimes...I really wonder what you're about to say, Axel." she said, smiling a little and brushing her hair with her fingers. Axel sat up also and ran his hand through his spikes, checking to see if any of them were out of place.

"Keeps everyone guessing." he offered, winking. Tora laughed and stood up, pulling on her cloak and zipping it up. Checking to see if anything was out of place, she smoothed the black material out and stretched, satisfied when she heard the small pops in her shoulders and neck.

"Well, you might as well go and find Roxas. I'm sure he's missing out on his flame right about now," she said, grinning, "I'm going to go find Luxord."

"Why?"

"I want to see if I've lost my time manipulation ability, which I probably have because I haven't seen Ryu in a little over a month." Flicking her hair out of her cloak, the Toxic Mage walked out of the room. Axel rubbed his eyes and watched her go, his hands itching to touch something. Preferably Roxas. Or even her hair again...Looking at his hands, he noticed that he had a small memoir of their adventure in the Pride Lands with him.

It was a bark painting of the two of them training at the oasis.

"Bloody monkey..."


	2. Leon, Sora And Similarities

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A drabble collection centred around 'Kingdom Hearts'**_

_**Part Two: Leon, Sora And Similarities**_

"I reckon you and Cloud could be brothers."

The water that was once in the Restoration leader's mouth was now decorating the table at which the scarred man sat. Leon grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth free of any offending liquid and stared pointedly at the Keybearer, waiting for an explanation. Sora propped his chin on his hand and stared right back, bright blue locked onto storm grey in a fierce battle of blankness. Eventually, one has to cave.

"...what?" the older brunet asked. Sora's head nodded so vigorously, Leon swore it nearly fell off.

"Yeah! You're both really quiet, you're both really strong, and you're both there for the other." Waving his arms around like a bird trying to get off the ground, the teenager made his point by jabbing his fingers in various directions in a pattern that he somehow understood.

"Just like you and Riku?" Leon smirked at the bright red blush that crawled across Sora's face in response to his statement. Looking down at his shoes, Sora nodded.

"...yeah." he said in a small voice, then brightened up, "But you and Cloud are way closer!"

"Sora, Cloud and I don't really like each other. The best we do is tolerate each other long enough to spar with each other."

"Family does that, too! There are some who hate, some who love, and some who tolerate!" The older brunet rubbed at his scar. He guessed that Sora probably didn't know what 'tolerate' meant, but still used it correctly anyway.

"There's no way I can get you to drop this, is there?" he asked.

"Nope!" The door to Merlin's house opened, "Oh Tora! Don't you think Cloud and Leon could be brothers?"

"Those two anti-social morons? Hell yeah, Sora!" Great, another corrupted. The Restoration leader watched the Twin of Touch and the Keybearer converse quickly about the two swordsmen and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. There were so many similarities in his world; it gave him a migraine.


	3. Demyx's New Friend: AU

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

Part Three: Demyx's New Friend (AU)

Eight-year-old Demyx sat on the steps of Radiant Garden Elementary School and rested his chin on his hands, his teal-coloured eyes scanning the footpath for any sign of his family. He really wished he could go and play on the school's playground; his dad could see him much more clearly there. But he saw a group of older children already heading in that direction and he slumped visibly. He didn't want to go there while they were there; they would just pull his hair and call him names. Fixing the strap of his backpack, Demyx stood up and crept behind one of the large pot plants either side of the main door, hiding himself from the bigger kids. He didn't like to be alone, so why did his dad have to have an important meeting now?

"Whatcha doing back here?" Demyx snapped his head up the minute he heard that, wondering who had spoken to him. It turned out to be a girl about his age with stripy hair in a ponytail and sunlight gold eyes. There was a smear of paint of her cheek.

"Huh?" he asked.

"I asked what you were doing back here." the girl repeated.

"Waiting for my dad. He works in a laboratory." There was a sense of pride and a slight sniffle to the little blond's voice.

"Hey, you're Demyx aren't you? You can sing really well." She sat down beside him and put her own backpack beside his, "I'm Tora."

"Hi..." Demyx curled further into himself as he stared wistfully out toward the playground where he could see the older children taking turns on the swing. How he wished he could be out there now...

"Hey, wanna play with me?" Tora suddenly asked. The little blond perked up immediately. Would he ever!

"B-but..." he said softly, "the big kids tease me..." Teal eyes stared holes into his sneakers. Tora reached up and fiddled with her ponytail.

"They tease me too," she said, "They make fun of my hair. They tell me that only weirdos have hair like mine, but I like it the way it is." Demyx looked up at the stripes. They were orange and black, like the tigers he'd seen in his father's National Geographic magazines.

"I like it too." he said, blushing a little. Tora giggled and stood up, swinging her backpack over her shoulders.

"Then let's go play. As long as we're together we can do anything, even beat those bullies." she declared.

"Yeah!" Filled with a new determination, the little blond followed his new friend toward the playground.


	4. Cloud the Closet Snuggler

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Four: Closet Snuggling

Cloud was tired. And when Cloud was tired, the first thing he did was collapse onto the first soft thing he came across – furniture, shaggy rugs or people – and curl up for a nap. The problem with collapsing on people was that they tended to think that he snuggled, which earned him the nickname 'Closet Snuggler' among Tifa, Aerith and Yuffie. So on this particular day, after a few thousand helpless Heartless felt the steel of First Tsurugi, the blond staggered into Merlin's house and deposited himself on the sole couch, completely ignoring the person who happened to be in it at that point in time.

"Ouch! Cloud, you weigh as much as a Large Body! Off!" The swordsman pointedly ignored the outburst from Tora, instead getting closer to the comfort her body radiated. The fact he was pressing his face into her chest thinking it was a pillow notwithstanding.

"Cloud, if I have to repeat myself you will feel the burn of my Firaga." Tora threatened, glaring down at the sleeping man. He shifted and wrapped his arms around her waist, mumbling something incoherent. Tora sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. She was not going to get anywhere fast with this. Picking up the spell book she'd accidentally dropped out of surprise, she continued reading.

"You fall victim to the Closet Snuggler, did you?" Aerith walked into the wizard's house carrying several shopping bags bulging with groceries. A pierced eyebrow was raised.

"Closet...Snuggler?" the Twin of Touch enunciated. The healer pointed to Cloud, who had turned his head and somehow managed to kick off his boots.

"When he gets tired, he gets cuddly." the brunette explained, moving to put her shopping away. Tora looked back down at the blond, some of his spikes gently poking her face.

"Why does he also have to ignore his surroundings as well? I get the feeling I've got bruises on my stomach from all his buckles." she muttered, turning the page of her book. On top of her, Cloud sighed and smirked.


	5. Belated Presents and Belted Leons

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

Part Five: Belated Presents and Belted Leons

If you were to walk into the marketplace of Radiant Garden at this point in time, you honestly would not recognise it. The shop owners had kindly let the Restoration Committee string up streamers and balloons all over the eaves of their shop roofs, the sunlight glinting gently from the smooth rubber. A long table had been set up in the centre of the marketplace ready to take food and presents of all types and sizes. Six females flitted about the area fixing decorations and re-reading plans that they'd all been given by the leather-clad lion-hearted leader of the Restoration Committee.

"I still think this is going too far, even for Sora..." Tora mused as she took a jar of glitter from a frustrated Rikku, "And I know what 'going too far' is."

"Come on Tora, when was the last time we were able to relax?" Yuffie asked from on top of the armour shop. Jumping down, the ninja landed beside the magician just as she'd opened the jar of glitter, a few of the sparkly items decorating her green vest, and held it out. Rikku, Yuna and Paine all grabbed handfuls of the stuff and began to sprinkle it all over the table, trails of sparkle in their wake as they flew all over the surface. .

"Sora won't know what hit him when he sees what we've got planned for him." Tifa said, wiping her brow.

"Leon planned it; we're just doing his dirty work." Yuffie grumbled.

"Leon did get Sora a nice present, though." Yuna reasoned.

"Don't you think Leon is like a giant human present?" All others present in the marketplace swivelled around to face the Twin of Touch, staring incredulously at her as if she'd just announced to the world that she was a lesbian and seeing the scary blonde girl from Organisation XIII. Straightening up from adjusting her boot, Tora jumped under the scrutiny her friends were staring at her with.

"What?" she asked.

"...giant human present?" Paine replied finally.

"Yeah, with all those belts it'd be like opening a present during sex." There was a collective silence.

"You know...I've never really understood why Leon needs all those belts he wears..." Tifa mused, rubbing her chin in time with her thoughts.

"Probably the same reason that big blond wears half a skirt: appearances." Rikku chimed in.

"I honestly think it takes them ages to get ready in the morning, Leon more so than Cloud. Seriously, all that leather can_not _be easy to get in and out of."

"Whoa, he really is a giant human present!" As the girls continued to talk amiably about the Gunblade wielder, he himself walked into the marketplace to check up on the girls' work. When he saw them standing about gossiping, he had half a mind to interrupt their conversation until he heard Yuffie and Tora respectively.

"So you're admitting to staring openly at Leon's ass?"

"How can you not? That leather and those belts make it _so_ tempting and no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to-"

"Stop staring?" Leon interjected calmly. All six girls gasped and turned slowly, meeting an amused storm grey stare. The Restoration leader folded his arms across his chest and smirked, waiting for an answer. Tora gulped inwardly, but covered up her nervousness by laughing loudly.

"Of course. I mean, you're one giant human present; how many girls do you know _wouldn't_ like to unwrap you?" The comment was left to hang in the air as the Twin of Touch swept out of the marketplace with a burning face, the three fairies following her quickly.

"Giant human present?" Leon asked the resident ninja. Yuffie fell into fits of giggles at his question.

"Tora's managed to plant in our heads that having sex with you would be like opening a present." Tifa explained, returning to hanging up streamers. Leon raised an eyebrow and turned in the direction Tora had fled, a slow smirk spreading over his lips crinkling his scar slightly. Human present, eh? He'd show _that_ magician what was inside _his_ box, and he'd be damned if she only got to see it once. Now how to do that without losing his pride...


	6. Pride Comes In Many Forms

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

_(Stripe here, ladies and gentlemen. This chapter is sort of my personal philosophy on Leon, Cloud, Tora and their relationship. I really think that my original character is the 'glue' of the Radiant Garden swordsmen and as such here's something exploring that.)_

Part Six: Pride Comes In Various Forms

Lions were naturally proud creatures. They were protective of their pride and they exterminated intruders that tried to muscle in on their territory. Leon was definitely a lion, through and through. He had his pride – Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, Merlin, Tifa, Cloud, Sora, and Tora – and he was a powerful warrior, his Gunblade serving him as faithfully as his friends did. Tora was a recent addition to his pride though, but she managed to fit into the dysfunctional family almost perfectly. Sure she had her moments – disappearing to other worlds as a travelling healer really pissed him off to no extent, especially when she was rostered on for patrol – but everyone loved her despite the imbalance in her system. Leon turned around and began to walk from the Bailey, heading for Ansem's study with one single question in his head.

Wolves had a different kind of pride to lions. They may be slightly inclined to act in their own interests, but when it came down to it they would do anything for their pack. Cloud hated that social protection side of his personality, the code that told him to protect anyone who needed his help. But with First Tsurugi by his side he showed everyone he wasn't a lone wolf; he did have his pride to uphold, after all. More often than not his pride told him to protect the females of the pack: Yuffie, Tifa, Aerith and Tora. That last name forced more of the animalistic protection out of him than Cloud cared to admit. There was something about the magician that made him rethink his position of solely searching for Sephiroth in a desperate bid to rid himself of the Darkness; Tora was part Darkness herself. Re-sheathing First Tsurugi, the blond turned and walked out of the Dark Depths intent on finding the Twin of Touch.

Tigers were proud to let things go and then join in when needed. Sinking against the cool walls of the computer room, Tora sighed and reached out a hand to play with the little Shadow Heartless in her lap. Venom nearly smiled and leaned into its mistress's touches, making odd purring sounds. They'd had a close encounter when visiting Tron; one of the Surveillance Robots had decided that Venom was an easy target and nearly blasted the poor thing. If it weren't for Tora's pride, she would've become Raxot then and there. It was the magician's pride that stopped her from doing anything that would expose her; being a tiger, it was natural for her to camouflage. She preferred to blend into the background and get things done in her own time in her own way without the spotlight being on her. Hearing footsteps in the hallway, the Twin of Touch stood up and held her Darkness close to her chest.

"You guys didn't have to sneak up on us like that. You nearly scared the pendant off me!"

"I have a question for you, Tora. Why is it that you remain optimistic even when there is no Light to be shone?"

"I'm a walking irony Leon, and proud of it. Come on Venom, let's go get rid of that debris in the Crystal Fissure."

"Will you be at Merlin's tonight?"

"No Cloud, I've got to clean my house before my mother arrives tomorrow. I swear she puts me on edge more than losing my pendant does."

"Mistress, Keybearer home."

"Thank you Venom. Well boys, I need to go home before Sora decides to raid my cupboards again. There's only so many times I can heal him, really..."

"Hn."

"Whatever." As the magician walked away, both swordsmen surprisingly felt their pride deflate. It wasn't as if they wanted to be the one to watch out for the magician the minute Tifa brought out the strong stuff once Aerith had gone to bed; definitely not! They just wanted to make sure that the newest member of their pride/pack was well looked after. Yeah, that was it.

"I'm up for it if you are." Cloud spoke suddenly, gripping the handle of First Tsurugi.

"Crystal Fissure?" Leon asked, leading the way.

_(The problem with those two is that once their heads grab a hold on their hearts, it's like getting blood out of a stone. Poor Tora's none the wiser, unfortunately; she just thinks that they're going too far in looking out for her.)_


	7. Friends and Foreign Languages

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

Part Seven: Friends and Foreign Languages

"_... Sore kara, watashi wa TIFA wa, sore ga nakatta koto da, watashi wa sudeni jitaku de SUKIRU RINGU shite i ta." _(1)

"_Anata wa itsumo nani ka o watashi o motomeru koto ga dekiru. Otōsan ga ishuku ni ōku no mono o gōsei." _(2)

"_Hontō desu ka? Arigatō TORA!" _(3)

"_Daijōbu YUFI." _(4)

As the two conversing girls walked through the marketplace they failed to notice the bizarre stares that they were receiving from everybody. Today was a special day in Radiant Garden; Cloud had gone to the Underworld and come back with a new friend, whom he was insistent on having Tora meet. When confronted with the information, the Twin of Touch commented that she was supposed to be finishing construction with Leon to which the blond replied that he was dragging both her and the Gunblade wielder to the meet. Tora had honestly never been so intimidated of Cloud in all the time she'd known him.

"So who do you think Cloud's brought with him for me to meet?" she asked the ninja as they descended the steps to the Borough.

"Beats me. When he told me he'd found a friend I just stared at him." Yuffie replied, leading the charge to Merlin's house. The door opened before either girl could reach out for the handle and a new face peeked out at them, blue-purple eyes regarding the two critically.

"You're late." Cloud's voice came from somewhere behind the person.

"Yuffie wanted me to help her with something at the castle gate. And since when have you worried about my lateness, Closet Snuggler?" Tora retorted. The new face grinned.

"You know about that too? I'm Zack Fair, Spike's long-lost best friend." The door opened fully revealing a tall-ish man with spiky black hair and a decently built body. A section of his black hair hung in front of his face and a small scar sat on the right side of his jaw. He stood aside and let the ninja and the magician into the wizard's house, where sunlight gold eyes spotted the blond brooding in a corner.

"Oh, buck up Cloud; you know I'll never let you live that down." Tora said, smiling.

"_Anata wa soko de kare wa nemutte iru SEFIROSU no RUUCHIN ga, MISSHON-chū ni ochite ki ta hitsuyō ga aru." _(5) Zack murmured under his breath. Both girls began to giggle madly while Cloud narrowed his eyes at his long-time friend. All he'd gotten out of that sentence was Sephiroth's name; it wasn't his fault that his Japanese was lacking because of lack of tuition!

"You and I have to talk more, Zack. You seem like a nice guy." Tora said, smiling shyly. Yuffie giggled harder while the black-haired man nodded vigorously.

"_Wareware ga aruite iru kamoshirenai machi, kaku yori ta no koto o shiru koto ga." _(6)he said, sending a wink at the Twin of Touch. Cloud nearly self-combusted at the faint tickling of pink along the magician's cheeks and nose, but instead settled for glaring daggers at the back of his friend's head. Tora nodded and turned back to the door, walking out with a very eager puppy following – that is, if Zack was an animal.

"_Totemo zetsubō-teki da. Tada TORA ni ii ichi-do ni, kanojo wa anata o karakau teishi suru koto ga."_ (7) Yuffie sighed, walking toward Cid at the computer.

* * *

**Note #1: Words that aren't in traditional script (hiragana) are capitalised. And I'm using Google Translate; my Japanese isn't that good and I'm still studying the language after fourteen years and if there are mistakes I apologise profusely.**

(1): ...then I told Tifa it didn't matter, I already had a Skill Ring at home. (Yuffie)

(2): You could always ask me for some stuff; Dad synthesised a lot of stuff on Atrophy. (Tora)

(3): Really? Thanks Tora! (Yuffie)

(4): It's alright, Yuffie. (Tora)

(5): You should've been there when he fell asleep on Sephiroth during a routine mission. (Zack)

(6): Maybe while we walk around the town we could get to know each other better. (Zack)

(7): You are so hopeless. Just be nice to Tora for once and she might stop teasing you. (Yuffie)

**Note #2: ...and so begins the appearance of Zack Fair in my Kingdom Hearts universe. All he gets is the mention in Birth By Sleep (which he looks ADORABLE in, by the way) so I thought he deserves more of a mention. Hence, Cloud's saved him from the Underworld. Don't you think he'd be a bit of a playboy too? Poor Cloud; I make fun of him whenever I can. It's okay, Stripe still loves you, Closet Snuggler! (read Part Six if you have no idea what that means)**


	8. A Chemical Halloween

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

_=^w^=_

Part Eight: A Chemical Halloween

The dark portal opened up within the wrought iron gates of the Graveyard and Sora, Donald and Goofy stepped out onto the dusty ground, the brunet boy stretching his arms above his head. The Graveyard looked distinctly more frightening than last time he visited; Jack must be experimenting with new scares this time.

"Come on Tora, you need to close the portal." Donald called into the darkness.

"I'm not coming out." came the response, accompanied by odd hissing. Sora turned around and faced the portal.

"What are you so afraid of?" he asked, a fanged smile on his face, "This place is awesome." Instead of the Twin of Touch, Riku was pushed out by a pair of manacled hands. His silvery hair glowed under the moonlight, two dark horns sticking out from the mop. His eyes were considerably darkened and his skin was as white as the moon itself. Clad only in the thinnest of apparel, he looked like a beggar demon. Growling and baring smaller fangs than Sora, he reached into the darkness and grabbed at one of the hands that had pushed him, pulling Tora into the Graveyard amid loud cursing. Donald and Goofy jumped.

"Whoa..." Sora breathed, his eyes lit up with awe.

"I've never been to Halloween Town, so I had no idea what I'd look like." she said, her gold eyes trained on the dirt under her feet.

"You're a Medusa!" Donald exclaimed. The orange and black snakes atop the Twin of Touch's head hissed with pride, their forked tongues tasting the air. Their body lengths only reached the magician's shoulders, but that was because her hair was way too long for the weight of the serpents. Tattered clothing and manacles around her wrists and ankles finished the costume.

"Do you turn people to stone?" Goofy asked, rubbing his chin. Sunlight gold eyes looked up at the Disney Castle guard, who flinched.

"No." Tora smiled.

"Come on, let's go see Dr. Finkelstein about these Gummi Parts Cid needs." The brunet led the charge through the Graveyard toward Guillotine Square, where the fountain in the centre of the square made Tora's olive skin crawl. Why did she have to be the only one who could transport the Keybearer and his friends all over the world while the grumpy pilot fixed their Gummi Ship? Flicking her wrist, she quickly closed the portal from Guillotine Square and grinned at Riku, who was giving her odd looks.

"Ah, there you are." Jack Skellington walked down the steps to the doctor's laboratory, his skeletal eyes on the group, "And who are your friends, Sora?"

"This is Riku and Tora. Tora's the Twin of Touch. Guys, this is Jack Skellington." Sora replied, introducing the silver demon and the medusa. The Pumpkin King gazed over the two newcomers to his domain, eyeing off their costumes for a long time. Tora folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently, the snakes on her head shifting with her restlessness.

"Maybe Sally can pull those back from your face for you. You might be able to see better then." Jack said, pointing to the few serpents falling over the magician's eye. She looked up at him.

"And in return I'll give you some ideas for your next Halloween. How do you feel about poison?" she asked. The skeletal man clapped his bony hands together with glee.

"I've always wanted to have a poisonous Halloween but I've never had the resources. What do you suggest?" he replied.

"Jack Skellington, you are looking at the Toxic Mage. Let's talk about this." As the two walked away, the others could only stare after her.

"And this is her first visit?" Donald asked, tapping his webbed foot.

"...poisonous Halloween?" Riku asked, turning to Sora. He shrugged.

"Sounds cool." he said, walking up the steps to the laboratory.

_=^w^=_

**Author's Note: Yes, I have depicted Tora as a Medusa. The animal parts are a bit old, so I figured I'd go with something that wasn't necessarily cat or wolf ears or a tail. Besides, it goes with the 'Toxic Mage' persona; the snakes, that is. The manacles are there because I like them. :3 Ryu's a smartly dressed devil-like creature whenever he comes to Halloween Town, complete with barbed tail and pitchfork. I was sick of Radiant Garden, so I moved locations. Next time I might send Tora to Agrabah or the Pride Lands. **


	9. Bloody Repercussions: AU

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

**=^w^=**

Part Nine: Bloody Repercussions (AU)

"_Axel..."_

Red spikes flapped about wildly as the man frantically looked about his bedroom when he heard his voice. The assassin scanned the area with acid green eyes: empty bed, open window, empty floor. Sighing with content, Axel turned around.

And nearly jumped out of his skin.

"_Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me, huh?"_

The figure on the bed stared at him with dead gold eyes, her orange and black hair falling about dripping with her blood. Several large open wounds bled openly from her chest and stomach, while strangulation marks glowed from her neck, red as the blood she bled.

"Wha...I thought I killed you!" Axel pointed a shaking finger at the figure, who smirked and licked at a bleeding lip piercing.

"_You'll be surprised who turns up in your dreams, Axel...Do you remember how you killed me?"_

Axel scrambled out of bed and stood up, facing the figure who had crossed her legs, blood still dripping onto his sheets.

"_You were hired by Roxas, weren't you? He didn't want me anymore...he thought I was just a lifeless puppet..."_

"Shut up!" Acid green eyes widened as the figure stood up, the blood ceasing to flow, strange as that was. She laughed, a hollow laugh that was unlike the laugh he'd heard her use when she was alive, and smirked.

"_You wanted Roxas all for yourself, didn't you? I should've known my boyfriend was nothing but a whore for Organisation XIII..."_

"Roxas is not a whore! He's mine!" Axel yelled, startling himself. Clapping a hand over his mouth, he glared at the figure, who was laughing silently, bloody tears streaming down her face. If he was to be found out for the murder – it was only when it turned up in the papers did he realise just _who_ he'd killed – he'd be thrown in the slammer for life!

"_Funny, Roxas said the same thing to me the day I died...remember how you began to choke me with your hands, then moved onto the tie I'd thrown over my bed..."_

An invisible pair of hands suddenly clamped themselves on the assassin's throat, slowly tightening their grip. Axel sputtered and clawed at the air as the figure slowly stepped forward, her hollow gold eyes shining with revenge.

"_When you grabbed the tie I socked you one in the eye...but then you tied my hands to my bedpost and stabbed me then strangled me again..."_

The hands around his throat disappeared, pushing him onto his back onto the bed where his wrists were grabbed and tied tightly with an invisible rope to his bed. Sudden pains erupted in his chest and stomach, and when he looked down he could see the faint outline of a knife being plunged into his flesh. The figure continued to watch, her eyes glinting with the revenge of not only her, but for everyone else he'd killed – her previous lover Demyx, her two friends Zexion and Yuffie, her brother-in-law Leon...

"_You even smothered me to make sure I was dead...just like you did with all the people I loved that you killed, Axel..."_

The figure walked over to the bed and crawled over his body, her wounds dripping again. The feeling of her blood mingling with his made Axel terrified; what was she going to do to him? Something was jammed over his face, cutting off his air supply and blocking his vision. He struggled wildly trying to get the object to move but it wouldn't budge. Tears came to his eyes as the object was slowly removed and the figure's face was above his, her hollow eyes staring into his.

"_As you watched the light fade from my eyes you kissed me, hard, to take my breath away..."_

"T...T..." Her name dancing on his tongue, Axel's eyes watered as her cold lips descended on his, taking his own breath away. He felt...light...like a feather...

"_See you in hell, Flames."_

Then the fire started.

**=^w^= **

Moonlight poured through the window as the Flurry of Dancing Flames sat up as his eyes shot open, his skin sweaty and his body shaking. His clammy hands darted all over his body feeling for any injury or mark, but nothing was found. Axel sighed and visibly relaxed, his breathing slowing down to match his slowing heartbeat. Running a hand through his red spikes, he stood up from his bed and walked into his kitchen, eyeing the phone on the wall.

"_You'll be surprised who turns up in your dreams, Axel..."_

Death hadn't changed her; she'd find a way to worm back into their lives eventually. The redhead growled and slammed his fist on the marble cook top, blunt pain shooting through his whole hand.

"_I can't rest until my killer has been brought to justice, but I can rest easier knowing the girl who still holds my heart is with me now."_

Green eyes darted around the room at the voice of the blond musician who'd been dead for three months, but when they found nothing they returned to looking at the throbbing hand.

"_It was going to be a matter of time before she was gone, wasn't it Number Eight? You couldn't stand to see her smile at your toy."_

The soft voice of the slate-haired assassin filled his mind, slowly making the guilt in Axel's heart rise. He didn't want to kill her; Roxas had told him it would make their lives easier.

"_You son of a bitch, how dare you kill her? Do you know Cloud, Zack, Sephiroth and her family are going to come after you with their bare hands?"_

The ninja-like girl's voice filled his mind next, making all the guilt-raising points that the redhead knew the others weren't going to make.

"_My sister-in-law...she will never rest as long as Roxas is alive. Why don't you kill him next?"_

"Shut up..." Axel hissed as the brown-haired brother-in-law's voice took over from the ninja-like girl, thin fingers gripping at the red strands of hair. Why wouldn't the voices just stop?

"_I just want to see Riku one more time, Axel...I want to tell him I still love him...can you tell him there's a gift for him from me under his pillow?"_

As her voice faded away, Axel picked up his cell phone and texted Roxas to tell Riku the message he'd gotten from the figure haunting his dreams last night. Once that was over, he sank to the floor, tears in his eyes, and dialled the number for the police station.

"_Twilight Town police station, this is Cloud." _the voice on the other end said. His body trembling with sobs, the redhead bit his lip and took a breath.

"I...I know w-who's been killing those p-people." he said. The officer curled his hand tighter around the receiver and pressed it further into his ear.

"_Go on." _he prompted. Axel let out another sob and wiped his eyes.

"I-It's..." He swallowed, "It's me. I-I'm the Flurry o-of Dancing Fl-Flames."

**=^w^=**

"_The families and friends of Demyx MacLean, Zexion Wilde, Yuffie Kisaragi, Squall Leonhart and Tora Altona can finally claim closure on the murders of the five as police reveal the identity of the serial killer Flurry of Dancing Flames. Axel Kazan was reprimanded in custody awaiting trial as he admitted to murdering the five under the orders of his current lover Roxas Strife. _

'Tora, Leon, Yuffie, Zexion and Demyx will not have died in vain; we will fight to ensure that their spirits rest peacefully and that these two horrible men are given suitable punishment.' _– Rhea Altona._

'Demyx might not have been the brightest bulb, but he would still be smiling now if he was here with me. God bless you, bro.' _– Larxene MacLean._

_The two men will be sentenced at the end of the week if found guilty of the charges. Tifa Lockhart, Twilight Town News."_

**=^w^=**

**Author's Note: Whoa, something a little different to my usual comedy/romance/crap that I churn out. I was watching a crime show the other night when I was suddenly struck with the thought that a serial killer might be haunted by the spirits of his murdered, so here is that idea. I'm sorry if I made Axel and Roxas the bad guys; they just fitted into the roles perfectly...and I'm sorry for killing Demyx, Zexion, Yuffie and Leon. I'm apologising to myself for killing Tora; it's the first time I've done that. And I apologise for Demyx's and Zexion's surnames; they were the first ones I could think of.**


	10. Crossover One: Pokemon

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

**=^w^=**

Part Ten: Crossover One (Pokemon)

"Tora...Tora, are you awake? At least, I think it's you..."

"Ngh...Demyx?" I lifted my head off the ground and stared at the blue thing in front of me. It looked like a combination of a mermaid and a dog, with four legs, a long glittering tail and – for some reason – a frill around its head and neck (1). The blue thing sat down beside me and blinked twice.

"Tora, is that you?" it asked. I scowled.

"What are you talking about, Demyx? Of course it's me. But what are you?" Demyx lifted a front paw and pointed to the water just as few centimetres from my location. Pushing more of my body off the –

FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING NOXIOUS AND CORROSIVE!

"I have no arms!" Looking down at my body, I discovered I had no arms indeed...and no legs, for that matter. My new body was long and black with hexagonal orange markings along it, the coils resting on what felt like little stumps. Inching closer to the water, I discovered that I had a green helmet-like covering on the top half of my head, while two long red fangs stuck out underneath my top lip. A sharp-looking green-tipped tail finished the look (2).

"You're a snake." Demyx stated matter-of-factly. I turned back to look at him.

"I can see that," I said, "Wait, where's everybody else?" My question was answered when a little brown thing sprinted into the clearing, followed by a black thing with a spiky red mane and what looked like a large orange lion-tiger hybrid.

"Axel, leave me alone!"

"Roxas!"

"Damn it you two, get back here!" I blinked. What in the name of Kingdom Hearts had happened to us during Merlin's spell?

"Tora!" The little brown thing jumped behind me, using my tail as a shield, while the black thing with the spiky mane skidded to a halt in front of me.

"That's not fair, Roxas! Using a...Tora? Well, you certainly look the part." Oh, the black thing is Axel...right...My tail flicked out from behind me and jabbed Axel in the stomach, poison seeping from the pores in my skin. He flew a few feet from our position, whacking his back against a conveniently placed tree and collapsing to the ground.

"Tora! There you are!"

"Yuffie?" Said ninja ran into the clearing, two red and white spheres in her hands. The striped lion-tiger hybrid with the scar in between its eyes sat down on the ground, and I mentally drowned myself. How could I have not seen the scar and seen that the lion-tiger hybrid was Leon? Soon more random-looking creatures joined us, some of which I could recognise either by their hair or distinguishing facial features. The only other humans besides Yuffie were Xemnas and Saix.

"Where in the name of everything noxious and corrosive are we?" I asked finally. The little brown thing behind me came out and sat beside me. I think Axel called it Roxas.

"Merlin's spell must've backfired," a blue dog-like thing with spiky blonde hair said, "I'm going to kill him when we get back." Oh, that is definitely Cloud. But he won't get a chance to; I'm going to kill Merlin when we get back.

"Are you sure that's going to work?" a large silver bird asked. Yuffie sighed and held out the two red and white spheres. In a flash of red light Cloud and the silver bird – Sephiroth, I mentally smacked myself with – were taken into the spheres, alongside a large red camel with four humps and a humanoid thing that had black hair.

Xemnas held out his own spheres and into them went a large steel bird, a freaky looking round thing with only one eye, a four-legged thing similar to Demyx, a large snake made of rocks and a funny looking deer.

Saix imitated his Superior (Kingdom Hearts, the puns I can make about those two) and recalled Axel, Roxas, a yellow humanoid thing with a card-shaped pendulum, a green thing similar to the blue thing Xemnas recalled, and a spiky yellow thing similar to the other four legged things like Demyx and Roxas. I blinked at Yuffie.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"We managed to figure out that we're near a place called Lilycove City, and you guys have been turned into creatures called Pokemon, so you guys have to take orders from us because we're your Trainers." she explained. Leon didn't look impressed.

"Makes a change from Leon ordering us around." I said, grinning at him. He rolled his eyes and stood up, making sure his paws stood on my tail.

"OW! Leon!"

"Let's go, guys." Demyx said, shooting a small stream of water at my tail and cooling the heat the pain in it was making. I stood up on my coils and slithered after the Trainers, as Yuffie called them, silently plotting Merlin's death.

Although not having arms was going to take some getting used to...

WHUMPH!

"Tora, you're actually pretty heavy for a snake."

"You try moving without limbs, then."

**=^w^=**

_**DISCLAIMER: The disclaimer applies to the characters, ideas and settings of 'Pokemon' – Satoshi Tajiri.**_

(1): Demyx – Vaporeon; Tora – Seviper; Axel – Houndoom; Roxas – Eevee; Leon – Arcanine; Cloud – Lucario; Sephiroth – Articuno; Cid – Camerupt; Tifa – Hitmontop; Xaldin – Skarmory; Xigbar – Forretress; Vexen – Glaceon; Lexaeus – Onix; Zexion – Stantler; Luxord – Hypno; Marluxia – Leafeon; Larxene – Jolteon; Xemnas – Darkrai; Saix – Mightyena; Yuffie – Nuzleaf.

(2): I've altered Seviper's colouring to fit in with Tora's colours.

**Author's Note: And so begins the first of my crossovers. Every ten or so drabbles you shall all get a crossover of my choosing (or if you wish to see something else, let me know). If you're confused as to why I chose those particular Pokemon for those particular people, let me know.**


	11. Note Passing and Pastry Thieves

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Eleven: Note-Passing and Pastry Thieves

_Please find in this refrigerator a week's worth of meals, lunch and dinner. You are so far in it that I'm surprised I've catered for you for that long. If you run out of food go to Aerith or Tifa. I'll be staying at Merlin's until you work it out. _

_Try anything funny and I'll melt you where you stand._

_-Tora._

**=^w^=**

_...wow. Just...wow. _

_So what have you done this time, Cloud?_

_-Zack._

**=^w^=**

_Shut up, Zack._

_Tora, I had absolutely NO idea that Yuffie would spike the drinks at the party. You know what I'm like when alcohol enters my system; mako, remember? Please stop leaving me notes and talk to me face to face; I cannot believe I'm degrading myself to reply to these things._

_-Cloud._

**=^w^=**

_See, there you go again! Put your damn ego back into its shipping crate and think about others for a change! Do you honestly think I enjoyed it when my so-called confidante is telling everyone about our first time? Do you honestly think I'd just brush off your little drunken mishap with that redheaded friend of yours? (I'm busy helping him find somewhere to live at the moment; he's such a doll!)_

_-Tora._

_PS: Zack, stop stealing my jam drops!_

**=^w^=**

_...so it's about THAT party...gotcha._

_In Spike's defence Tora, he doesn't really hold his alcohol all that well. I remember this time when he managed to strip in front of our boss after one glass of champagne. The really good stuff, too. _

_-Zack._

_PS: OW!_

**=^w^=**

_You are NOT helping the situation any, Zack Fair, or do I need to actually hit you next time?_

_Cloud, while I admit that the synthesis items you're sending me are rare and absolutely beautiful, it's going to take more than that to get me back in that house. In return for your gifts, I've restocked the fridge for you. Knowing you, you'll go through that in three days (less if you decide to feed Zack). _

_-Tora._

**=^w^=**

_Sometimes I wonder what exactly it was I did to deserve you. Then I wish I could repeat it. _

_You're turning me into some sort of whiny cadet with starry eyes and an innocent look again, like I was when I first joined the SOLDIER ranks. Of course, back then I wasn't fawning over you because I had no idea you existed. _

_-Cloud._

_PS: I...I... –insert scribbled out words here – _

**=^w^=**

_Why the hell have you two covered your fridge with stupid notes? _

_...oh, right. Tora, Cloud really can't hold his alcohol. I know that doesn't excuse him, but it's true. The mako lowers his tolerance as well as increasing his libido. Bet you wish you were warming the bed with him now, don't you?_

_-Yuffie._

_PS: By the way, have you got a spare Mythril Ring?_

**=^w^=**

_...consider yourself warned, so-called 'Great Ninja'. _

_-Tora. _

_PS: No, I don't; I can make you one if you wish. _

**=^w^=**

_OW! TORA, WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE THE REALLY PAINFUL MAGIC?_

_-Yuffie._

_PS: Please and thank you._

**=^w^=**

_You shouldn't have done that to Yuffie; she's now plotting your demise. _

_Leon agrees with me when I say that you're being overemotional about the whole thing. Please meet me in the Marketplace so we can talk this whole thing over. _

_-Cloud._

_PS: No, that wasn't an invitation. That was a polite demand._

**=^w^=**

_Just when I think you're being nice Spike, you went and shoved your foot in your mouth. You KNEW Tora was going to hit you; why did you tell her that you wanted to do that then, of all times?_

_Reno's taken an instant liking to her, too. They've been spending an awful lot of time together even now that Reno's got his new apartment, and it looks like Tora's getting cosy with the new arrangement. _

_Just giving you the heads up._

_-Zack._

_PS: -hides from Tora-_

**=^w^=**

_-is busy plotting Zack Fair's second death by means of telling Sephiroth about the gossip he's spreading-_

_-Tora._

**=^w^=**

_Oh Gaia Tora, anyone but Sephiroth. You must be pissed off enough to resort to him. _

_I'm sorry about the incident in the Marketplace, but Zack had given me a script to – wait, there's my mistake: listening to Zack. Maybe I'll join you when you tell Sephiroth. _

_...that is, if you'll let me._

_-Cloud._

_PS: ...I miss you. It's getting really cold without you to cast Firaga into the grate. I'd do it myself but I want to you come home to a house that's still standing. _

**=^w^=**

_I've got a problem for you, Cloud:_

_You + me + Gummi Ship + Twilight Town = ?_

_-Tora. _

_PS: You get extra points if you can answer it in detail._

**=^w^=**

_...what?_

_-Zack._

_PS: Can I please have more of those jam drops? They were the best!_

**=^w^=**

_I know the answer to that..._

_-Cloud._

**=^w^=**

_Aww man, have you guys stopped using this little messaging service already? Just when it was-_

_Wait, what?_

_So Tora _does_ have a kinky side! Wait until Reno hears about this!_

_-Yuffie._

**=^w^=**

_Hey Tora, Reno here. Just wanted to thank you for getting me acquainted with everyone in Radiant Garden and reacquainted with some old friends of mine. It's nice to know that some people here do have a heart, even if yours is around your neck. I've left my thanks on your coffee table so you should see it when you get back from Twilight Town with old Chocobo._

_PS: ...nice problem. Can I go in there anywhere?_

**=^w^=**

_Sorry Reno, perhaps one day when Cloud isn't feeling a bit possessive. You can always come to me for healing if Aerith won't, though; it's nice to see a face other than Zack's or Sephiroth's when he actually admits it to himself. Just try to hose yourself down a bit first, okay?_

_-Tora._

**=^w^=**

_Absolutely not, Tora._

_-Cloud._

**=^w^=**

_There will be a repeat performance, Cloud._

_-Tora._

**=^w^=**

_...fine. Maybe when I calm down._

_-Cloud._

**=^w^=**

_There won't be any maybe about it, sweetheart._

_-Tora._

_PS: DAMN IT ZACK, STOP STEALING MY JAM DROPS!_

**=^w^=**

_...owwie..._

_-Zack._

**=^w^=**

**Author's Note: And Reno makes his grand entrance, yay! :3 He has officially moved to Radiant Garden and that's why Tora was helping him look for somewhere to live. And yes, Zack and Yuffie really do send notes about their pain when they're in pain. That's just how they are. –nods- **


	12. Stargazing

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Twelve: Stargazing

"You ever created your own constellations?"

Blinking at the question, Leon looked over at the magician beside him. Tora kept her gaze on the glittering sky above her while at the same time tracing patterns on Cloud's arm with her finger. He, in turn, fiddled with stray sections of her two coloured hair.

"I can't say I have," the brunet replied slowly, resting his head in her lap, "Is there any trick to it?"

"Not really. All you need to do is select a group of stars and draw a picture with them." Lifting a hand, the magician curled all fingers but her pointer into a fist and pointed at one particular star. She lazily moved her hand in a pattern, joining stars with thin magic lines emitting from her nails. When she'd finished she giggled and pointed to her picture.

"It's a Moogle!" she said. Glowing blue and storm grey eyes scrutinised the image carefully.

"That's all you do?" Cloud asked, "How did you make the lines?"

"It's a simple magic trick. Here, I'll teach you." Reaching for both swordsmen's hands Tora removed their gloves and showed them how to point and concentrate their magic into their fingertip. Ten minutes later (and much argument that both swordsmen had NO magic whatsoever), all three of them were proudly showing off glowing fingers much like ET from the Steven Spielberg movie. As a reward for their efforts, the magician kissed each glowing finger gently and smiled at the two swordsmen.

"Now draw." she said, leaning back onto Cloud. Leon looked up at the glimmering sky and then down at his hand, an idea forming in his mind. He reached over to the blond and drew a straight line down his bare arm. The magic clung to his skin and shimmered a pale blue in the dark. Cloud looked down at his arm, then retaliated by striping the brunet's face across his scar.

"Boys, what are you doing?" Tora blinked as two faces came into her line of vision, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Drawing." Leon replied simply, using his magic to draw a small spiral on the magician's cheek.

"We're only taking your advice, Tora." Cloud lifted her hand and drew intricate squiggles on its back, the end design mimicking the tattoo that sat neatly underneath her left eye. Five minutes of her boys drawing on her body later, she glowed with the magic they'd drawn on her with. Looking at the designs, Tora smiled and pressed kisses to their cheeks.

"Can we get back to stargazing, please?" she asked, "That is what I invited you two out here to do." The two swordsmen managed small smiles.

"We are." they said.

=^w^=

**Yes, there are hints of a threesome here. Don't like it? Tough. I wanted to try something different, so here's Cloud and Leon softening up.**


	13. Spellbooks and Shocking Hairstyles

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

Part Thirteen: Spells and Shocking Hairstyles

Pandemonium, Tora reasoned to herself, had to be putting her current situation mildly.

She didn't even think _bedlam_ covered it.

"_GET BACK HERE!"_

"Tora, save me!" Scratching at her head the Twin of Touch quickly grabbed the book residing in Sora's hands before he could dart away from the blonde, brown and black blurs currently chasing him all over Olympus. Curious, she opened it.

An assortment of spells in another language stared up at her from the parchment yellow pages, some with interesting diagrams about their effects. Tora blinked and leafed through more of the pages, ignoring the screams from the Keybearer and the anger-filled roars from both Leon and Cloud.

"Hm, interesting..." she mused, sitting on the steps to the arena and getting comfortable.

"Whoa, what's going on out here?"

"Sora did something to piss Leon and Cloud off and I'm guessing it involved this spell book." Yuffie sat beside the magician and peered over her shoulder, reading some of the strange language she was reading.

"Which spell do you think Sora got Donald to read for him?" the ninja asked after a few minutes of silent reading.

"I'm guessing this one." Tora pointed to a spell that was accompanied by a diagram of a person with bolts of electricity surrounding them.

"What does that one do?" A green-nailed hand pointed to the two swordsmen, who had pulled their weapons out and were now threatening Sora with castration – not that the teenager knew what that meant. Yuffie scanned the two looking for the effect of the spell, and she suddenly burst out laughing.

"That's what that one does?" she gasped in between bouts of laughter.

"Yep," Tora replied, looking up, "You'd think Donald would've explained to Sora that he only cast a Static Electricity spell on the two idiots over there." In the background, Sora squealed with barely suppressed laughter and sped off again.

Afros really weren't the greatest hairstyle in the world. He should've known better; Donald _had_ taught him to read the spell, after all.

=^w^=

**Author's Note: I think I'm going to need word prompts soon. I'm running out of random ideas. Help me please? o3o**


	14. Feeling Needed

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Fourteen: Feeling Needed

The brightly coloured Gummi Ship pulled away slowly from the hangar, blasting off on a course Cid had previously entered into the onboard computer for Sora to follow. Tora and Leon watched the ship break the atmosphere, and when they couldn't see it anymore they left the hangar and headed for the Bailey. The Gunblade wielder sighed suddenly.

"Sora's going to be fine," Tora said, catching the look on his face, "It's not the first time he's been on an adventure outside of Radiant Garden."

"I know." The magician stopped abruptly, causing Leon to run into her from behind which sent her sprawling into the dusty ground of the Bailey. Helping her up, the swordsman looked at her pointedly for an explanation to her actions.

"That's it?" she asked finally, "Just an 'I know'?"

"You were expecting something else?" Neither of them had noticed the grip Leon still maintained on Tora's arms or Tora's comfort at having him hold her like that.

"I was expecting an open admittance of your worry for the Keybearer, if that counts for something else."

"I'm not worried." Ah, the typical response. Reluctantly letting go of the Twin of Touch, the Gunblade wielder walked to the low stone wall of the Bailey and rested his hands on it. The late afternoon sun streamed through the large open section of the wall, filtered by the two Radiant Garden inhabitants whose silhouettes were elongated and slightly deformed. Tora tilted her head to the side in confusion at Leon's suddenly chilly behaviour, not surprised at all by it.

Sora was right; Leon and Cloud could be unrelated kin.

Shaking her sudden thoughts away from her head, she strode forward and looped her right arm with his left, resting her head on his shoulder. The swordsman looked down at the magician, whose sunlight gold eyes were trained on the sunset, and returned to his rapt hand-gazing.

"You can admit that you're worried about Sora, Leon." Tora murmured after a while.

"What good is it going to do me? There's nothing I can do about it." he retorted.

"So you're worried about Sora because every time he leaves you feel useless?" Leon flinched at the honesty in the Twin of Touch's words, but nodded in affirmation anyway. Tora sighed and gently ran her hand up and down his arm, the silence that fell after her question welcomed by the two of them.

"Some days I want to go with him," the Gunblade wielder admitted quietly, "And some days I want to chain him to a pole." It didn't take a genius to work out he was talking about Sora.

"Maybe the two of you are long-lost relatives instead of you and Cloud." the magician reasoned out loud. A single brown eyebrow was raised.

"And how do you figure that?" he asked.

"You're both needed by a lot of people because you both represent Light. Unlike you, however, the people that need Sora are just a little further apart." It never ceased to amaze Leon how philosophical Tora could be when the situation called for it. He supposed that wisdom was a prerequisite to becoming a magician; look at Merlin. He never realised that his Light could be compared to Sora's either.

"The worlds need Sora," Tora finished softly, "Radiant Garden needs you." And for the first time since the two entered the Bailey, sunlight gold eyes looked up into storm grey ones. Leon suddenly felt an urge to ask the magician if _she_ needed him; the Darkness swirling in the gold orbs counteracted the Light in his.

"You're right," he said instead, "I am needed here. Where would restoration be without me?" Tora grinned and hugged his arm.

"That's the spirit, Leon!" she said, "Now are we agreed that a little worry is healthy but we must admit it first?"

"As long as we also agree that the thought of Sora and I being related is unnerving." Sharing a laugh, the two returned to watching the last dying rays of the sun sink below the horizon, where it would wait until tomorrow to be needed again.

=^w^=

**Author's Note: I was playing KH2 the other day and I was watching the scene where Sora unlocks the first set of pathways to the other worlds when I caught the look on Leon's face before the screen fades and the game moves on. It got me thinking 'Would Leon admit that he was worried?' and that's where this came from. I quite like it, actually. **


	15. Puppies

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Fifteen: Puppies

Zack Fair loved dogs.

Wait, check that – Zack Fair _adored_ dogs.

Maybe it was because he had the demeanour of a curious puppy (something Cloud and Sephiroth exploited all too often) or maybe it was because he _looked_ like a curious puppy (again, Cloud and Sephiroth took advantage of that too much). But he thought it was because he was too cute to resist.

So it really shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone when the ex-SOLDIER brought two puppies in a cardboard box to the Committee house and demanded that he look after them.

The reaction was mixed.

"Oh dear Bahamut..." That came from Tifa.

"They're so _CUTE_!" Yuffie's declaration.

"Jus' keep 'em away from mah work." Cid obviously couldn't care less.

"I'll give them a check-up if you'd like, Zack." Aerith was always so sweet to him.

"Dare I ask where you found them?" The last question came from Sephiroth, who wasn't exactly happy to see the dogs in the house, but he wasn't trying to skewer them onto Masamune, either. Zack picked up the first puppy he touched – a golden coloured dog with two different coloured eyes – and shrugged.

"I was walking through the Restoration Site when I heard whimpering coming from one of the walls, so I investigated. These two had been shoved in a crack and left to die, so I saved them, put them in the box and brought them here." he replied. The ex-General nearly banged his head against one of Merlin's thick spellbooks; the black-haired man could be as dense as a stone wall on the best of days. Aerith finished her check-up of the two puppies and handed them both over to the ex-First Class SOLDIER, smiling.

"They're both just fine," she said, "Don't you think they deserve names?" Looking down at the dogs, Zack grinned.

"I know just what to name them." he said.

=^w^=

_**Nine Weeks Later...**_

"_SOMEBODY COME QUICK! TORA'S GONE INTO LABOUR!"_

"Cloud, why is everyone staring at me as if my water just broke?"

"Better yet, why are they staring at me as if it should be happening to _me_?" If the townspeople thought they were discreetly staring, they had another thought coming. The swordsman and the magician raised eyebrows at the behaviour of those around them; Cloud's arms laden with Tora's recently delivered synthesis items that Sora had sent her from the other worlds. A small boy came up to the magician and tugged on her sleeve, making her look down at him with a smile.

"Are you going to be a mommy?" he asked innocently. Cloud nearly dropped the goods he held, while Tora had the decency to erupt into a deep cherry red.

The boy's mother did the same things.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried, grabbing her son and bowing low, "He shouldn't have – I'm so sorry, I –"

"Ma'am, it's alright. I have a feeling I know the reason he asked." the Twin of Touch replied, smiling and buying the boy a sea-salt ice-cream. Screeching with delight, the boy led his mother away crowing about the nice girl who bought him ice-cream. The mother merely smiled and hurried off, embarrassed.

She had the decency to look scandalised, at least.

"Remind me again why we let that idiot you call your best friend name the two dogs he found after us?" Sighing, the two headed back to the Committee house where a pacing and clearly anxious Zack met their eyes. He walked faster and faster around the small table in the centre of the room, his eyes gazing holes into his shoes.

"I nearly fainted after the first one came out," he wheezed at them, "I couldn't be there for her...she needs me..."

"Not anymore." Aerith walked into the room, wiping her slightly bloody hands on an old rag of Cid's, "Tora and Cloud are the proud parents of six."

"Six?" the blond asked incredulously.

"I blame the mako." Tora said casually, taking her synthesis items from him and leaving.

=^w^=

**Author's Note: I'll explain how Tora found out about Cloud, Zack and Sephiroth's mako in a later chapter. **


	16. Puppies, Part Two

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Sixteen: Puppies, Part Two

_**Approximately Eight Weeks Later...**_

'_Mother, why are you –'_

'_Shh! I don't want your father to find me!'_

Little Cissnei sniffed at her mother's hiding place again, sitting back on her hind legs and tilting her dark golden head in confusion. Father was out on a walk with the pretty brunette lady; what was there to worry about? Behind her, her brothers and sisters all play-fought and yipped while the brown-haired man rolled balls for them to chase.

"Tora! Here, girl!" The larger female bolted out from under the couch in the Committee house toward the front door, where Zack greeted her with a wide grin and a pet to her head.

"Next time you call that name, let me know just _who_ you're talking to..." the magician grumbled as she emerged from deep within the house, "I'd just gotten to sleep."

"Sorry Tora. Why are you sleeping here, anyway?" Leon sat up from the floor, much to the disappointment of Elena, Genesis, Angeal, Reeve and Shalua. They whined and sat back on their hind legs, looking up at the tall man with big puppy eyes.

It was hard to believe that they were eight weeks old already.

"Allow me to put my situation this way: it involves Cloud, my house, and one of those glowing orbs Yuffie seems so adamant about hoarding." Tora grumped as she slumped into a chair.

'_Oh no!' _Tora the dog dashed away from her master straight back underneath the couch as Aerith rounded the corner of the Borough, a smug-looking Cloud connected to the black leash she held. He barked loudly as he spotted the ex-SOLDIER, tugging on his restraint to go meet him. The brunette kept a strong hold on the leash, only letting the golden dog go when they were close enough to the Committee house to do so.

"And how's Daddy's strong boy today, huh? Did he have a good walk?" Zack cooed, rubbing at the gold fur around Cloud's neck.

'_Father!'_

'_Hi, kids. Have you seen your mother?'_

'_No, Father.' _

_Hm..._ Tora grabbed Cloud's collar before he could sneak past her toward the couch, her gold eyes staring at him. He whined a little and laid down on the floor, his offspring immediately jumping all over him.

"You're a father, Cloud," she told him, "Don't go shirking your duties just so you can have sex with Tora." The dog almost looked scandalised at how well the magician knew his motives. From underneath the couch Tora almost barked in delight.

Her imminent impregnation had been held off for at least a few minutes. Damn male dogs...

"Zack, will you just feed your dogs already? Genesis is back to sticking to Tora like glue." Leon said, pulling Shalua from his fur collar. The little pup growled, but barked and joined her family when the black-haired man banged on a food can to call for dinner. Setting the metal bowls down he looked up at Tora, who had fallen asleep with Genesis in her lap.

The little pup looked quite comfortable, actually.

=^w^=

'_CLOUD YOU MUTT! I HOPE THAT OUR MASTER NEUTERS YOU!'_

'_You don't mean that, honey. Come on, Daddy will make you feel better...'_

"Cloud, get the hose! You're trying to sex me up again!"

"Cast Blizzaga, Tora, you know I hate that!" A well-aimed ice attack sent the two dogs scurrying for opposite sides of the Twin of Touch's living room. From the recliner she sat in with their son Genesis Tora smirked and got comfortable.

The jokes ran wild, really.

'_Mother,' _Genesis asked cautiously, _'why does Father insist on doing those funny things with you?'_

'_Because your father is a mutt', _the female dog replied, _'He thinks with his hormones and not his head.'_

'_Oh Tora...' _Another Blizzaga attack forced Cloud into his namesake's chair, whimpering. Tora looked at her mate almost smugly; she sure was glad she was staying with the pretty magician and her swordsman mate while their master was away. He couldn't so much as get near her without either of them knowing about it.

"Still thinking about getting us fixed?" Cloud entered the living room taking off First Tsurugi's sheath and depositing it by the chair the golden mutt was in. The magician smiled and shook her head, scratching Genesis's burnt gold head.

"Nah, Zack needs more friends," he replied, "Besides, Genesis needs a girlfriend and I saw this GORGEOUS girl in Scrooge's stall yesterday-"

"OH HELL NO! I don't need to share the bed with any more animals!"

"That's a nice way to talk about me. If it bothers you that much, you can take the couch."

"But I only want to share my bed with _you_, Kashu (1); you're my kitty."

"If it makes you feel any better..." Tora placed Genesis beside his mother and crawled over to Cloud, sitting beside him and smiling, "You're my puppy."

'_I'd do that too, if I could get over there.'_

'_Stay. Away. Cloud.'_

'_Father, would you really do that to Mother?'_

'_Son, you're not old enough to get the talk yet; be a good boy and go to sleep.'_

'_Yes, Father.'_

=^w^=

1: 'Kashu' roughly translates to 'singer' in Japanese; Tora has a weird quirk for song and dance, so the name just stuck.

**Author's Note: I had to do a sequel; I wanted to know what happened to the puppies.**


	17. From Green To BLue: AU

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Seventeen: From Green To Blue (AU)

They were the 'ideal couple' around the campus. Everywhere they went praise and congratulations followed them like a perfume's sweet scent. During sports events with rival campuses he could be found cheering his lungs out as his boyfriend scored the winning hoop in a basketball game. Yes, it could be argued that Axel and Roxas had it all.

Until Roxas was told by Namine who was told by Kairi who was told by Sora who was told by Riku who was told by Demyx that a _girl_ had recently transferred to Radiant Garden University, Twilight Town campus, and Axel and _The Girl_ could be seen practically glued at the hip.

Roxas hated her already. How _dare_ she muscle in on _his_ territory? Axel was _HIS_!

"Uh, Roxas...don't you want to know more about-"

"He's dead." Namine sighed and closed her sketchbook with a flourish. The information could wait until Roxas calmed down.

Or until one of them ended up dead, but she didn't want to think about which one would come first.

=^w^=

"He won't shut up about her!"

"Uh huh."

"It's like he's gone back to being straight!"

"Uh huh."

"...you're deliberately ignoring me, aren't you?"

"Uh huh." Roxas let out a loud groan and collapsed on the couch beside his cousin Cloud, running his hand through goldenrod hair. Not even one _week_ since _The Girl_ had transferred to the campus and he was seeing less and less of his redhead every day. If he didn't get his dose soon he was going to have Axel-withdrawals. Cloud blew out a breath and placed his hand on his younger cousin's thigh. Roxas shot up at the comforting gesture...

"So what's her name?"

...only to come crashing back down again.

"Tora," he replied dully, "It's always 'Tora this' and 'Tora that' and 'Roxas, wait until you meet her!' I don't want to meet her! She's stealing my boyfriend away from me!"

"I'm pretty sure she knows Axel's gay, Rox," the elder blond said, silently amused, "And I'm pretty sure she knows about you, too."

"Whatever. When I do see that slut she's going to get what's coming to her!" Jumping up, the younger blond punched his fist into his palm menacingly while his elder cousin sighed, hiding a grin behind his hand.

Roxas was so naive sometimes.

=^w^=

"Hey Roxas!" The blond spun around as Axel tackled him in a bear hug, nuzzling his nose into the goldenrod spikes atop his head. Roxas returned the hug and allowed his boyfriend to stand him up on the floor, dusting invisible dirt from his clothes.

"Hi, Ax." he replied. Axel grinned a wide grin and placed his hands on the blond's shoulders.

"There's someone I think you need to meet," he said, "Hey Tora, over here!" Roxas fumed as _The Girl_ made her way over from a throng of people in front of the -

_Oh, dear Ifrit._

"You must be Roxas," the girl – Tora – said with a big smile, "Axel and Cloud have told me all about you." Roxas gulped visibly. If he was straight, he'd go for her with her big gold eyes and her striped orange and black hair and her piercings and her tattoos and her –

"How do you know my cousin?" he suddenly asked.

"His mentor Sephiroth is my stepfather," the transfer student replied casually, "Axel and I were penpals when he told me he was dating you. Didn't you ever wonder who sent him that green scarf back when you two started dating?" The blond's mind flicked back three years ago, the green scarf the redhead didn't want to take off flashing in his mind's eye.

"So...you're not-"

"Are you kidding? I think you two are way too cute to try and separate. As a matter of fact, I was the one who gave Axel pointers on how to approach you," Tora laughed, making Roxas feel slightly uncomfortable in her presence, "Anyway, I'm late for a lunch date with my boyfriend. I'll see you around!" Leaning down, she kissed the blond's cheek and dashed down the hall.

Roxas felt like the biggest jerk in the entirety of Twilight Town.

=^w^=

Spring break arrived, and Axel managed to convince everyone they knew into attending a party that he was hosting in one of the many function rooms scattered around Twilight Town. It also doubled up as a birthday celebration for Roxas and Sora, so there was a legitimate reason for hiring out the room. Streamers in blue, black and white lined the walls, with balloons of the same colour dotting the walls and floor. Music blared from a hired stereo, paid for entirely by Cloud; being a deliveryman paid off in the long run.

"Cheer up, Roxas!" the redhead said to the blond beside him. Roxas gave a half-hearted smile and stared down into his glass of soda, still annoyed that Tora hadn't shown up yet.

He'd gone through all the trouble of inviting her himself as a way of apologising for being a bitchy green-eyed monster and she didn't even –

"Sorry we're late!"

"Hey Tora!" Blue eyes snapped up to the doorway, where Tora stood with two guys – one who looked like a male version of her and one who had slate-blue hair which fell over one of his eyes. The male copy immediately made a beeline for Namine, who started a conversation by asking him about his hometown. Roxas sighed and moved over to a corner.

"What's the birthday boy doing all the way over here?" Tora put her hands on her hips and mock-glared at him, "You should be dancing with your boyfriend."

"Don't feel like it." he mumbled. The transfer student clicked her tongue – pierced, the blond noted.

"Come on Roxas. Hey, would it make you feel better if you danced with me?" Roxas blinked at her. After all the stuff he'd thought of her and said about her...she _still_ wanted to be nice?

"I haven't really been the nicest person to you, Tora," he said, "I thought you were stealing Axel from me so I made up all these stupid excuses to convince myself I wasn't jealous of you, but I was. Can you forgive me?" Instead of splashing her drink in his face, she laughed.

_Laughed._

Roxas couldn't believe her.

"You look better with blue eyes, Rox. Don't think I didn't notice the stares you gave me whenever you could." As she talked, the slate-haired guy from earlier walked up to them and placed his arm around her shoulders. Tora suddenly jumped.

"Oh! Roxas meet Zexion, my boyfriend and my Literature saviour. Zexion this is Roxas, the birthday boy and Axel's boyfriend." Zexion held out a hand, which Roxas shook.

"Tora's right. You do look better with blue eyes," he said, "A simple mistake to make; you thought your boyfriend was going back on the straight and narrow when in truth he was showing my girlfriend around the town." Despite himself, Roxas laughed.

Green eyes never suited him.

=^w^=

"Catch, Roxas!"

"That's not funny, Sora!"

"I think it's hilarious."

"Shut up, Axel."

"Hey Cloud, do you know when Sephiroth is coming back? Mum's getting restless."

"He should be back tomorrow, Tora. Would you like something to drink?"

"I'll get it. No milk, right?"

"You know me so well, Roxas." Gold eyes met cerulean blue, and both Roxas and Tora smiled. Life was a breeze when you didn't have jealous green eyes.

=^w^=

**Author's Note: Something a little different. And look, it's got AkuRoku in it! If you don't like it you can skip this chapter, but I personally like it. I wrote this in the space of half an hour all on a whim.**


	18. A 'Swimming' Day

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Eighteen: A 'Swimming' Day

"Sora! Sora, where are you; Leon wants you back in Radiant Garden today!"

Tora groaned as she scanned the area for the brunet Keybearer. He was _supposed_ to be here – he'd told everyone he was going to be – so why couldn't the Twin of Touch see hide or hair of him? Growling in her throat, she crossed her arms over her chest and flicked the long green tail she'd been given so she'd stay upright.

Yes, Sora had gone all the way to Atlantica, and Leon decided that Tora would be the _perfect_ candidate to go get him despite the fact that she'd _never been before_!

"Ugh, I feel so naked..." The only thing that she felt comfortable with about her new appearance was her vest which served as a cover for her torso. Her fish tail was styled after a Japanese fighting fish, with a spiky tail fin and other fins that reached a third of the way up the tail. The whole thing was an iridescent green which fit into her 'Toxic Mage' persona, and she noticed that because she was annoyed, it gave off an eerie glow.

"Well, this is one great day I'm having so far," she snapped, not noticing the Keybearer or his friends swim up behind her, "First I'm awoken rather rudely by the fairies who demand me to go treasure-hunting with them, then when I do manage to get free of them Yuffie ropes me into an exploration of the Crystal Fissure, and then – because my morning wasn't complete – Leon informs me I need to get Sora back from Atlantica because he wants to show him something!"

"Leon wants to show me something?" The yell that left Tora's lips could be heard all the way in Port Royal. She flew backward at least three feet, glaring daggers at Sora who was blinking at her confusedly.

"Yes, Leon wants to show you something. But you need to come with me back to..." Something glinting in the water took the magician's attention from her tirade, and she swam over to the glint. A thin chain sparkled at her, connected to a small red stone laid into a thick silver plate. Carefully Tora began to disentangle the chain from the seaweed and coral it was wound around, cursing whenever she accidentally got it stuck again.

"Stand back Tora, I'll get it out!" Donald cried, charging a Thundaga in his staff. As he released it, Tora twitched to the wrong side at the wrong time.

"DONALD!" The octopus-duck hybrid rubbed at his head sheepishly as a now irate Twin of Touch turned around, her butt smoking from the Thundaga.

At least she'd gotten the necklace.

"Tora...does your tail always glow?" Sora pointed down at the brightly glowing fins, his eyes wide. Tora shook her head and swam past the trio toward the portal area she'd used to get to Atlantica.

"Let's go." she said curtly. Oh yes, her day was going _swimmingly_.

=^w^=


	19. Tension

_**-My Style, No Sense-**_

_**-A collection of 'Kingdom Hearts' drabbles-**_

=^w^=

Part Nineteen: Tension

"Hurry up, Cloud!"

"Shut up! These things are so fiddly!"

"Someone will find us, you know."

"Shut _up_, Leon!" The Gunblade wielder rolled his eyes and shifted his hips lightly to accommodate for the gloved fingers currently fiddling with something right above his crotch. In front of him was Cloud, on his knees prodding about the brunet's hips with sharp jabs and tugs that made one wonder what exactly he was doing down there.

Hot man-porn fantasies notwithstanding, naturally.

"Ah!" Leon let out a particularly loud hiss when Cloud yanked at his pants for the umpteenth time, the zipper digging into his skin rather painfully, "Will you quit that?"

"Do you want these things off or not?" Cloud snapped back.

"Oh, for the love of – I'll go get someone else to do it."

"I'll get it, just you watch."

"Oh for the love of Nagi!" Both swordsmen jumped as the magician's sharp (ooh, she was annoyed at something) voice cut through the silence of the Bailey. Adjusting the grip she had on the books in her hands, Tora walked forward and grabbed at what it was Cloud was fiddling with, flicking her fingers deftly.

Leon's belts came off easily.

"_That's_ how you do it," she snapped, "Now will you two _please_ take your sexual tension somewhere else?"

"What's crawled up your ass and died this morning?" Cloud asked. One of Lethal Cure (1) found itself embedded beside his head, quivering quite wildly.

"I'm..._perfectly_...fine." Tora replied through gritted teeth, stalking out of the Bailey.

"Obviously not; you're wearing your black coat." The second half of Lethal Cure pinned the blond to the Bailey wall, a gold glare looking directly through him.

"Leave me alone." With a violent flick of her plait, the magician walked away calling back her elbow blades. Leon groaned loudly.

"What's your problem?" Cloud was really annoyed now.

"She stole my belts." the brunet replied. The blond raised an eyebrow.

"Are _you_ going to get them back?" he asked.

"...I'll ask Aerith."

=^w^=

1: 'Lethal Cure' is the name of Tora's elbow blades.

=^w^=

**Author's Note: ...and there's some Cleon to make me feel better. I need to know what people want to see for my next crossover; I'm totally stumped. **


End file.
